As a psychology student, I’ve come to appreciate how powerful group settings can be for people living with ADHD. Through my academic journey, I’ve read studies and heard testimonies that show how much of a difference group support can make.
Group therapy and peer support offer something unique: the comfort of feeling understood without needing to explain everything. In a world where ADHD is often misunderstood, that sense of belonging is powerful.
Group therapy is typically led by a mental health professional and follows a structured format, often using approaches like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
In ADHD-focused groups, people finally get to drop the mask they wear all day. There’s no need to pretend or explain every detail — everyone in the room just gets it. That alone can lift a huge weight of shame and loneliness. And it’s not just comforting — it works. Research, like Vidal et al. (2015) for teens and López-Pinar et al. (2023) for adults, shows that group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can cut ADHD symptoms by 30 to 40% in teenagers, and often even more for adults.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of talking therapy that helps people understand how their thoughts and feelings affect their actions, so they can develop healthier ways to cope.
Learning Everyday Strategies
One of the best parts? You pick up real-life hacks from people who truly understand the daily chaos. It could be a simple tip for blocking out time, setting phone reminders, or tackling that mountain of papers on the kitchen table. These ideas stick — because they come from people who live with the same scattered thoughts and spinning mind you do.
Unlike therapy groups, peer support groups are less structured and focus more on mutual exchange than guided interventions. Still, the benefits are real, from normalizing challenges to picking up coping tips that actually work in daily life.
It’s not just about practical tricks — group therapy also brings emotional tools that can make everyday life softer. Many groups include mindfulness exercises, ways to calm that racing brain, or strategies to catch and challenge the negative thoughts that can pop up on bad days. And since ADHD can make some social situations tricky, many groups also work on things like how to say what you need, handle disagreements, or ask for help without feeling guilty (Miranda et al., 2017).
These groups aren’t one-size-fits-all — they grow with you. For kids, parents often join in to learn how to better support their child day to day. Teens find a safe spot to talk about school stress, friendships, or figuring out who they are. Adults tackle bigger questions, like balancing work, long-term goals, or how ADHD shows up in relationships. Major health organisations — the CDC, APA, and NICE — all back group support as a real, effective part of ADHD treatment (CDC, 2024; APA, 2002; NICE, 2018).
In the end, group therapy is so much more than symptom control — it’s about finding a small community where you don’t feel like the “difficult one” or the “scattered one.” You sit down, you share, you listen, and you realise: you’re not alone in this. If you or someone close to you is looking for support, maybe this is the sign to give group therapy a try. It could be the place where you finally feel understood — and where you learn, together, how to make everyday life a bit lighter.
